Sugarcreek firefighter on leave

SUGARCREEK TOWNSHIP – A fire lieutenant is on paid administrative leave in the middle of an investigation regarding alleged sexual harassment.

“We were contacted by an employee who recently resigned who made allegations of sexual harassment misconduct, that’s when the trustees kicked off the investigation,” Sugarcreek Township Administrator Barry Tiffany told WDTN.

Lt. Christopher Keene was placed on leave on May 1, according to Tiffany. Firefighters Thomas Gilvin and Jeffrey Gaylor both resigned from their positions amid the investigation.

Tiffany said Gilvin and Gaylor are connected to the alleged sexual harassment misconduct. Keene was promoted to fire captain in October 2014 and was a shift commander. He was demoted to lieutenant in May.

According to Tiffany, Keene’s personnel file includes misconduct toward township Fire Chief Randy Pavlak and a write-up for sexual harassment of a female firefighter.

“The department is full of great people,” Tiffany said. “This is not indicative of the fire department, it’s just the action of these three who were all on the same shift.”

Keene joined the fire department in 2001 as a volunteer firefighter and has received three awards according to his personnel file. WDTN was unable to reach Keene seeking comment.